Motor-truck construction



F. 11, FARMER. MOTOR TRUQK CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION min Avn. lan 1914.

1,341,306. v mm m1251920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK H. FARMER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY'MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, y'I'O THE WHITE MOTOR COMPANY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MOTOR-TRUCK CONSTRUCTION.

Application led April 18,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. FARMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county`of Cuyahoga and' State of Ohio, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Motor-Truck Construction, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. f

This invention relates to motor truck construction, and more particularly to a chassis construction and mounting therefor with respect to the rear axle.

Generally speaking, the invention comprises the elements and combinations thereof set forth in the accompanying claims. Reference should vbe l d to the. accom panying drawings formi gV a part of4 this specification, in' which -Figure 1 is a top plan view of the chassis frame and thev mounting thereof with respect to the axles. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the showing in Fig. 1y with the addition that the position of thefloor of the truck is indicated in dotted lines.

In4 certain classes of vehicles, which are designed to carry heavy loads, it is desirable when propelling these vehicles by motive power that the center of gravity of the load -be, as lowas is consistent and permissible, thereby reducing the likelihood of upsetting, and furthermore, when the center of gravity of the load is low, it permits the vehicle to be run with greater y., s eedL than would otherwise be the,cas'e...-

herein described accomfeatures above men# the side of the chassis will' be connected in any suitable way, as indicated at C. The side pieces A1 and A2 are adjacent theirrear end bent in a downwardly -slantirig di rection, as indicated at D and E, and at their lower ends are secured to side pieces FV and G, of which may be termed a lower Specification of Letters Patent 1914. Serial N0. 832,723.

and braced by suitable transversely extend- Patented May 25, 1920.

ing members, as indicated at H. In other words,.if we consider. the chassis as a whole it may be said that the front and rear'por tions'lie in different horizontal planes with any intermediate connection. ience in making the side piece of the chassis and the slanting connection side pieces are formed as continuations by suitably bending channel irons.

The forward portion of the chassis is mounted upon an' axle I in the usual vmanner,v and the steering of the front wheels is also accomplished in the -fusual manner, so that no further description of these'matters need be given. l I

The rear portion ofthe chassis has an underslung mounting, that is to say, the

chassis is below the axle. The axle is represented kat J, and atJ appropriate .portions thereonis secured to the springs K by means of U-bolts, as indicated at L. Thesev U-` bolts straddle the axle and 'at their lower ends extend through a plate M which plate For conven.-

engages the bow side of a semi-ellipticv spring. The upper -side ofthe 'spring engages with the undersideof the axle. The

plate is held to the U-bolts byf means of nuts engaging the threadedV ends thereof, ,orl in any *other desired manner. "The springs lie without the chassis, thereby per` initting theV lower portion of the chassis to- `be brouglitas close to the groundas prac-l tical. v

Upon the Sidemembers M ma G of the lower part of the chassis therearebrackets N, which comprise a base that is secured tofthe side membei` of thefchassis, and an outwardly extending arm O, which is of .sufficient length to extend beneath the end of spring adjacent thereto. The arm is .secured to the adjacent end ofthe spring by theusual shackle construction which is represented at4 P.

The rearwheels vQ are free to turn on the axle .Iand'any usual `or desired mounting for the wheels maybe utilized. y

Upon the inside of each wheel there is mounted a sprocket wheel -R which is inv alinementwith a sprocket wheel S carriedl wheel'sLR and S may be connected by s uit.

yable "f'sprocket chains.4

.rearwardly from the engine which is mounted upon the forwardif part lof the l chassis, as is usual in motor vehicle construc- 'tion.

There are torsion rods Y which extend between the rearaxle and the casings U, these being made adjustable as to length by means of the turnbuckle, C, which construction is well known. This rod serves not only to definitely space the axle J from the shaft T, vbut also provides means for securing proper tension in the sprocket chain which 'connects the sprockets R and S.

The ends of the torsion rods are mounted in any suitable manner which permits relative movement between the rods and the parts upon which they are mounted.

A suitable floor a is supported by the chassis. This Hoor is usually slanting to facilitate in the removing of objects that may be carried by the truck.

It will be 'apparent that changes in details may be effected in the construction just described without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: y

l. In a motor vehicle construction, a chassis frame having its rear portion in a .lower plane than its front portion; `a rear axle and a power shaft both extending across the chassis frame above the lower portion thereof; `springs secured to the axle and connected to the chassis frame; rear wheels on the rear axle; and driving means between the power shaft and said wheels.

2. In a motor Vehicle construction, a chassis' frame having its rear portion in a lower plane than its front portion, a rear axle having wheels thereon, and a power shaft extending transversely of the chassis frame above the lower portion thereof, driving means between the power shaft andthe said wheels, springs secured to said axle, said springs lying outside of the said frame, hangers secured to the said frame to which the opposite ends of the springs are secured, and rods connecting the axle with the frame.

3. In a motor vehicle construction, a chassis frame having side members which are bent downwardly between their ends and then extend rearwardly so that the rear portion of the frame lies in a lower plane than the frontl portion; a rear axle and a power shaft both extending over the lower portion of the chassis frame; springs connecting the rear axle to the frame; supports on the chassis frame for the power shaft, the latter being in advance of, and at substantially the same height above the side members of the frame as the rear axle; a housing surrounding the power shaft; and torque rods extending between the rear axle and housing.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK H. FARMER.

Witnesses:

' A. J. HUDSON,

L. I. PORTER. 

